Every one has been saying that they want a Camaro Z28. I wanted to know something. Every one is aware that Chevrolet has stated that there will be a ton of aftermarket accessories and “Package OPPTIONS” available after the launch of the car, but will not say any thing about what they are exactly. Also that the plan they had to produce such a car was not going to work due to the CAFÉ issue. Now it has also been stated from an anonymous source from inside GM “R&D” that GM commissioned a company to manufacture twelve Z28 metal emblems made for a car. There has also been info released that there is a supercharger package being worked on by GM as a possible option for the Camaro as well as a performance package upgrade. Now if you take into account the little bits and pieces of information that has come out, would it not be a reasonable and logical assumption to think GM would maybe offer a “Z28 package” that you could order for the car when you go to buy the vehicle. Making a package that gives people a chance to order if they chose to that way, GM is not producing a vehicle that may violate CAFÉ rules. Also that if they make the Z28 as a production line vehicle that they would be so over priced that people would not purchase it because it is so expensive or they simply can’t afford it. That way there would not be a surplus of vehicles sitting at the factory or car lots.

It's been a long time coming, but Chevrolet's reborn ponycar coupe is on track for a 2009 debut. Convertibles should follow about nine months later. Plus buzz is starting to build for an ultra-performance Z28 version that may appear as a 2011 model. It's a great nostalgia trip, but will it be spoiled by $4 gas?

What We Know About the 2011 Chevrolet Camaro

Best-laid plans often run into trouble, as Robert Burns implied. Take the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro. Falling home values, tight credit, new inflation worries, and record gas prices were not on anyone's radar nearly three years ago, when General Motors hinted at the return of its sporty rear-wheel-drive Ford Mustang-fighter. Now that perfect economic storm is battering new-vehicle sales, yet GM can't afford to stop the car at this late stage. That's why the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro is on track to a planned early-2009 debut, albeit with some 11th-hour tweaks that may help it through the rough economic weather that many analysts still forecast for the near future.

Late word is that the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro will arrive in three coupe models patterned on the big-buzz 2006 Detroit Auto Show concept. Convertible versions (previewed by a 2007 Detroit concept) should be added during the 2010 model run, and a new high-performance Z28 edition is forecast for model-year 2011. Chevrolet thus renews the "ponycar" battle it last waged with Ford in 2002. It also takes on a reincarnated Dodge Challenger that bowed this past spring in hot SRT8 guise and adds lower-cost mainstream V6 and V8 models for 2009.

The 2010 Chevrolet Camaro lineup starts with coupes in base LS and uplevel LT trim that carry the 3.6-liter twincam V6 with direct injection that is used in Cadillac's entry-level CTS premium midsize sedan. In Camaro tune, the V6 should be rated at about 300 horsepower. However, GM "product czar" Bob Lutz has lately hinted that this Camaro might have the turbocharged 4-cylinder available in the Pontiac Solstice/Saturn Sky roadsters and the SS versions of Chevrolet's Cobalt and HHR compact cars, but we are hearing it might not be available at the start of production. This mill makes 260 horses, and should have a fuel-economy advantage over the V6 that could make a big difference to sales with gas at $4 a gallon and rising. The "blown" four would also help GM meet the government's tough new fleet-average mpg targets that start cranking up with the 2011 model year, another big headache for automakers. At launch, the top of the line is a traditional performance-oriented SS model with a 6.2-liter V8 borrowed from base Chevrolet Corvettes. In Camaros, the V8 comes in two flavors. Cars with the 6-speed manual get a LS3 rated at 422 horses. In another nod to roaring petrol prices, cars with the automatic are equipped with a L99 that will have GM's gas-saving Active Fuel Management cylinder-deactivation system and around 400 ponies. The 2010 Chevrolet Camaro convertibles should duplicate coupe trim levels and associated powertrains.

Barring last-minute changes, all these models should list 6-speed manual and optional 6-speed automatic transmissions. So, too, the rumored 2011 Chevrolet Camaro Z28, which reportedly storms in with the supercharged 6.2-liter "LSA" V8 from Cadillac's 2009 CTS-V sports sedan. Horsepower here should be at 480-500. But a new Z28 is not a sure thing with today's gas prices and fuel-economy woes, and production will certainly be restricted for those reasons even if it does reach showrooms.

The 2010 Chevrolet Camaro coupes and convertibles will be slightly toned-down versions of their concept previews. Styling, for some reason, pays heavy homage to 1969 Camaros, though a subtle "double bubble" roof contour is a new element for coupes. So, too, their fixed center roof posts; early Camaro coupes (1967-69) were pillar-less "hardtops," and later versions had no rear side windows at all. V6 models will roll on 18-, 19-, or 20-inch wheels depending on equipment level, while the SS will have standard 20s.

The interior is also very '69, starting with a pair of large nacelles putting speedometer, tachometer, fuel, and temperature gauges directly ahead of the driver. Squarish dials for oil pressure, oil temperature, voltage, and engine torque sit ahead of the gear lever on the console. Above them are climate and audio controls surmounted by a display screen that would doubtless serve as an optional navigation system. Per ponycar tradition, the new Camaros will furnish comfortable seating for two in front and somewhat less comfortable seating for two in back.

For the sake of affordability as well as tradition, the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro convertibles will employ a folding fabric top. A trendy hideaway hard-shell roof would have cost too much for GM's reported mid-to upper-$20,000 price target, and might have caused reliability and/or production troubles. As on the concept model, the top disappears beneath a flip-up panel behind the cockpit--no need for a fiddly flexible tonneau to look your best, as on previous open-air Camaros. A power-fold roof? Certainly available, and probably standard on V8 models.

Some analysts think the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro coupes and convertibles will be chasing a vanishing market, but that's what can happen when you have to plan three or four years ahead. GM recognizes the difficulties and has tellingly scaled back projected yearly sales from 100,000 to 75,000 units, according to one reliable source.

But the Camaro is a Chevrolet icon, second only to Corvette. And as bad as the economy seems now, GM knows it must contest the new battle of the ponycars to maintain credibility with loyal, influential enthusiasts. So it's into the fray and may the best automaker win. One thing is sure: In today's topsy-turvy world, Camaro, Challenger, and Mustang will all need lots of luck.

The 2011 Chevrolet Camaro should be available in four trim levels: LS, LT, SS, and Z28. A pre-production model is shown here.

A Notable Feature of the 2011 Chevrolet Camaro

The new Camaros will be built at GM's plant in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada, which has long ranked high in independent audits of vehicle quality, among the best in North America. On the minus side, it seems the automatic transmission has no provision for manual shifting, a curious omission for a modern "driver's car." Perhaps GM is saving that for 2011 models. On the other hand, our experience with Pontiac G8 suggests the new Camaros will score well for handling, steering, and braking. Ride comfort and mechanical refinement may get good marks, too. But speaking of Pontiac, GM has no plans to revive the Camaro's one-time siblings, the Firebird and Trans Am. There just aren't enough buyers now to make them financially feasible.

Buying Advice for the 2011 Chevrolet Camaro

GM's Bob Lutz says the new Camaros will cost more than comparable Mustangs, but will be better equipped, though how large the differences will be is anyone's guess. Even GM itself probably doesn't have final answers at this point. Regardless, the LT and LS models stand to be the best new-Camaro buys for several reasons. For example, GM estimates their EPA fuel economy at around 26 mpg highway--not Honda frugal perhaps, but credible for large, affordable sporty/performance cars. Lutz also implies that lesser Camaros will have better front/rear weight balance than the macho V8s, plus enough horsepower to make for a "very fast, very legitimate car." If this sounds like Lutz is pushing the low-end models, he is. With the government's new fast-track fuel-economy mandates, no automaker can sell too many thirsty, high-power vehicles without paying stiff fines.

Camaro fans will naturally welcome the return of their favorite, but everyone else has plenty of alternatives in the highly varied realm of affordable sporty/performance cars. The most direct rivals, of course, are the reborn Dodge Challengers and equivalent Ford Mustangs. The latter are being refreshed as early 2010 entries and reportedly get a full redesign for 2013. Other Camaro-like candidates include Mitsubishi's front-drive Eclipse coupes and Spyder convertibles and Hyundai's new rear-drive Genesis coupe, all of which offer 4-cylinder and V6 power. Those who can do with only two seats may be drawn to the Nissan 350Z coupe and convertible, which will likely become updated 370Zs for 2010.

So a lot of new product is set to pile in within months or weeks of one another. Which is best for you? Consumer Guide can help you decide, both here online and in the pages of our Car and Truck Test magazines. Whatever your choice, cars like this are proving harder to sell in the face of "pump shock" and other economic negatives, so some kind of deal-sweetener should be available, even on the brand-new Camaros.

2011 Chevrolet Camaro Release Date: GM hasn't yet announced one, but late word is that the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro coupes will start sale in March of 2009. The 2010 Chevrolet Camaro convertibles reportedly follow about nine months later. Exact timing will depend on when production begins, and that is still unclear. We've heard talk of a February 2009 start for coupes and a December start for convertibles, which would leave adequate time to fill the dealer pipeline for early-spring intros. We'll keep you posted. If Chevrolet goes ahead with a 2011 Chevrolet Camaro Z28, we would expect it to go on sale no earlier than during the fall of 2010.

2011 Chevrolet Camaro First Test Drive: Assuming the above timing is accurate, ride-and-drive sessions for the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro coupes would presumably be held very late in 2008 or very early in 2009--perhaps around the time of this November's Los Angeles Auto Show or at next January's Detroit Auto Show. Add about nine months for media previews on the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro convertibles. If the rumored 2011 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 materializes, media drives would likely take place during the fall of 2010.

2011 Chevrolet Camaro Prices: As noted, Mr. Lutz says that Camaros will cost somewhat more than comparable Ford Mustangs and Dodge Challengers, which currently go for between about $20,000 and $40,000. The high-power Z28, if there is one, would likely come in somewhere north of $45,000. Keep in mind, though, that stickers on all these ponycars may well be going up due to inflationary pressures and fast-rising materials costs, especially for steel.
Updated by Don Sikora II 07.22.2008

The 2011 Chevrolet Camaro will go head-to-head with the Dodge Challenger and Ford Mustang. The 2007 Camaro Concept is shown here.

For more inside information on hundreds of new cars of today and tomorrow, check out:
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• Sporty/Performance Cars: The 2011 Chevrolet Camaro will compete in the sporty/performance car class. Here's Consumer Guide's roundup of all the sporty/performance cars on sale today.
• 2008 Consumer Guide Best Buy and Recommended Award Winners: Check out which cars won our Best Buy and Recommended awards for 2008.
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2011 Chevrolet Camaro Pictures

The 2011 Chevrolet Camaro's styling is heavily based on the 1969 model. The 2007 Camaro Concept is shown here.

The retro theme extends to the interior of the 2011 Chevrolet Camaro. The 2007 Camaro Concept is shown here.

The 2011 Chevrolet Camaro will be built in Canada. The 2007 Camaro Concept is shown here.
For more inside information on hundreds of new cars of today and tomorrow, check out:
• Consumer Guide New Car Reviews and Prices: Road test results, photos, specifications, and prices for hundreds of new cars, trucks, minivans, and SUVs from the Auto Editors of Consumer Guide.
• Chevrolet: Read Consumer Guide's full reports, including ratings, prices, specifications, and fuel economy.
• Sporty/Performance Cars: The 2011 Chevrolet Camaro will compete in the sporty/performance car class. Here's Consumer Guide's roundup of all the sporty/performance cars on sale today.
• 2008 Consumer Guide Best Buy and Recommended Award Winners: Check out which cars won our Best Buy and Recommended awards for 2008.
• Future Cars: Step into the automotive showroom of tomorrow with reviews, analysis, pictures, prices, and preliminary specifications on scores of vehicles that will be appearing next year and beyond.
2011 Chevrolet Camaro Preliminary Specifications

How about do it like they did back in the 60's. All the factory/dealer options are put into the trunk when you pick up your car from the dealership. Then you can have the dealer install for a fee and keep your warranty. Or you take it home and do it yourself without a warranty.

something I've said before that I pray to God will happen for this car:

GM has done alot of testing and tuning for different variants of the new Camaro... GM doesn't have to offer a Z28 and get all of the certifications done for a production car... offering all of the parts to make your own Z28 through the GMPP aftermarket branch of GM could easily justify the time and effort of testing and tuning the car and the equipment... and save GM a HUGE investment by not having to bring the car fully to market.

so my question to everyone is this:
if your local Chevy dealership offered a $7500 package that included the supercharger, a computer flash for said supercharger, a set of stiffer springs and some nifty Z28 badges, would you buy it?
would you have the dealership install it? or would you install it yourself?
would you be more interested in this package if it were to carry a 36month/30,000mile warranty if installed by a GM certified install technician?

oh, and the LS7 might not be quite as dead as we had originally thought... check out some of the recent offerings by the Aussies to get a better idea of why I say this